Altogether 19 undertrial prisoners were released on Sunday from the district jail here. The move came following the order of the Supreme Court passed in connection with the suo moto writ petition (c) no. 01/2020.

The apex court on March 23 directed all the states and Union Territories to consider granting parole to prisoners with lesser offences to decongest jails of the country.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde observed that the prisoners convicted of or charged with offences having jail term of up to seven years can be given parole to decongest jails.

In pursuance of the direction of the Supreme Court, a meeting of the undertrial review committee under the chairmanship of S.K. Sharma, district and sessions judge-cum-chairman of district legal services authority was held on Saturday in the conference room of the deputy commissioner here which was attended by district magistrate B.C. Modi, chief judicial magistrate Kiran Lal Baishnab, superintendent of police Pushpraj Singh, additional district magistrate Khanindra Das, secretary, district legal services authority N. Kuri and superintendent of district jail M.N. Sharma.

In the meeting, the members resolved to recommend the courts concerned for release of some of the inmates on bail or personal recognizance bond and accordingly these 19 prisoners were released.

“I have apprised the committee that all the new undertrials are in quarantine and complete sanitation with regard to Covid-19 protocol is being maintained inside the jail. The doctors are regularly visiting the inmates and continuous awareness progra-mmes are being held inside the jail premises,” said Sharma.

“We have been asked by the superintendent of police to contact the family members of the would-be released prisoners and those who can afford to ferry the inmate from the jail on their own. They would be given passes from the police station concerned for their transportation. The district magistrate will take care of the transportation of the rest of the inmates,” Sharma added.

There are a total 275 prisoners, including undertrials and convicts, lodged in district jail here.